Tear gas projector burglar and fire alarm



1951 P. F. FLAGGE ET AL 2,570,438

TEAR GAS PROJECTOR BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM Filed Nov. 7, 1949 INVENTORS PHILLIP F. FLAGGE MELVIN W.GERDS ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 9, 1951 STATES TEAR GAS PROJECTOR BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM Phillip F. Flagge and Melvin W. Gerds, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application November 7, 1949, Serial No. 125,922

1 Claim.

Our invention refers to burglar and fire alarm signals, wherein a tear gas bomb in the form of a shell is fired and audible and visible signals are indicated.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a simple economical and effective device, embodying a base, having a shiftable barrel for receiving a tear gas shell, together with an aligned breechblock, carrying a spring actuated tubular hammer controlled by a trigger, which trigger has connected thereto a tripping wire or strand which is suitably trained about a building, and when contact or breakage thereof is had by a burglar, the gas bomb is exploded and simultaneously warning signals accompany the explosion. The tubular hammer, at the same time, closes an electric switch in circuit with the signals, whereby an audible or a visible signal, or both are brought into action.

A further object of our invention is to provide a comparatively long coil spring housed in the tubular hammer and abutting a bracket bed, whereby upon explosion of the shell, the recoil shock from the same is absorbed in such man-- ner that the spring reacts against the explosive force of the shell, whereby the shock is entirely neutralized.

When the bomb is exploded, the tubular hammer, at the same time, closes an electric circuit, whereby an audible and visible signal is put into action.

A further object of our invention is to provide a comparatively long coiled spring housing in the tubular hammer and abutting a bracket bed, whereby the recoil shock from the shell explosion is entirely absorbed by said coil spring.

A further object of our invention is to provide a manually actuated plug which extends through a slot in the breechblock, whereby the hammer is forced back to compress the coil spring and said hammer, under compression, is locked by a pring controlled trigger that engages a notch in the tubular hammer.

Another object of our invention is to provide a manually controlled set screw mounted in the breechblock for frictionally engaging the tubular hammer, whereby when the device is set or loaded, the set screw will frictionally lock the hammer in its firing position until such time as the device may be set for functioning as a burglar alarm or a fire alarm, at which time the set screw is loosened.

A further object of our invention is to provide a block for carrying the pivoted trigger and also a roller, whereby the wire runner or strand may be guided from the trigger through a channel formed in the base of the device, whereby said strand is free to move back and forth in said channel and grooves formed in the base of the breechblock and gun barrel.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that suoh changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of an alarm device embodying the features of my invention, the section being indicated by line I, l of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a plan sectional view of the same, the section being indicated by line 2, 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the device, the section being indicated by line 3, 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is another cross sectional view through the device, the section being indicated by line 4, 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is another cross sectional view through the device, the section being indicated by line 5, 5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a cross section through the barrel muzzle, the section being indicated by line 6, 8 of Figure 1.

Referring by characters to the drawings, I indicates a rectangular base having a central channel 2 extending from end to end thereof, the front end of the base carries a short barrel 3, for the reception of a tear gas shell 6. The barrel has depending therefrom a slotted foot 3, the slots being frictionally engaged by bolts 5, whereby the barrel may be forwardly shifted from its position for shell loading purposes, the said barrel being provided with a rod 6 extending across the muzzle of the barrel, whereby the wadding from the shell is trapped as a safety measure, when said shell is fired.

The rear end of the barrel abuttingly engages the mouth of the bore 7 of a breechblock 8, which breechblock has depending therefrom a foot 9 having pads that are secured to the base I by suitable bolts, as shown, it being understood that the foot 3" of the barrel and the breechblock foot 9 are formed with bottom grooves l3, iii through which a wire strand II is guided, the said strand hereinafter more fully described.

Reciprocatively mounted in the bore of the breechblock is a tubular hammer l2, the front end of which hammer is tapered to a firing point for engaging the cap of the shell 4, and that the front endofsaid hammer is solid.

The tubular portion of the hammer l2 has mounted therein a comparatively long coil spr ng l3, and the rear end of said coil spring is pocketed in a bracket [4, which bed is also secured to the base I by suitable bolts.

The tubular hammer I2 is heldagainst twisting in the breechblock by the loading plug 15, the same being manually actuated to compress the coil spring I3.

As best shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, when the tubular hammer is pushed back into its spring pressed loading position, said hammer is locked in this position by a notch l6 formed in the lower face of said hammer for engagement with a spring controlled trigger l1, whereby said hammer is locked and ready for firing. The trigger I1 is pivoted to a block 18 suitably secured to the base by bolts, and pivoted between ears of the block I3 is a pulley l9, under which the wire strand II is guided and extended upwardly to the end of the trigger ll. It is understood that the wire strand 11 may be suitably trained about a building and anchored at its end to a fixture ll, whereby said strand is comparatively taut. Hence, it is apparent that when a burglar contacts with this strand H, a

flexing power upon it will cause the trigger H to be tripped, whereby the spring pressed hammer will shoot forward and discharge the tear gas shell, the wadding of which will be caged by engaging the rod 6 at the muzzle of the barrel.

After the device has been set as a burglar alarm under ordinary conditions, there may elapse quite a time between the setting before the device is to function asa burglar alarm, hence, we provide a manually actuated set screw 20, which set screw is carried by the breechblock 8, and when it is turned down, its end will frictionally engage the wall of the tubular hammer, whereby said hammer will be safely held against premature tripping.

Thus, when the device is to be set for burglars, all that is necessary is to release the set screw 20 from its frictional engagement with the tubular hammer.

As shown in Figure l of the drawings, we provide a hollow head 2| having spanner legs 2! secured to the base I, the said'head being directly rearward of the barrel 3, and the same is also provided with a groove through which the wire strand travels. The head 2i carries an electric switch 2 2, having circuit wires 23, which wires carry a battery together with a light bulb 24 and a bell 24', the same being diagrammatically expressed.

A spring controlled button 25 is provided for closing the switch 22, and extending over the end of said button is a bowed leaf spring 26. The leaf spring is engaged by a switch pin 21 that depends from the front of the reciprocative hammer.

Hence, when said hammer shoots forward to explode a shell, the pin 21 engages the bowed spring 26, whereby the switch button 25 will close the circuit and automatically ring the bell and illuminate the light bulb 24.

While we have particularly described our invention as a burglar alarm, the same will operate efiiciently as a fire alarm.

For example, the wires of the electric circuit I. ie

are trained about the building, and said wires have connected therein, at different intervals, a thermostatic switch, hence, when abnormal heat develops, any oneof theseswitches may .be closed, whereby the device is tripped and discharged, while at the same time the signals are indicated that a fire has developed in the system. In this instance the tear gas cartridge is not discharged, and thus only a fire signal is developed.

11, Some instances we may thread the end of the hammer plug l5, and mounted thereon a knurled nut, which may be screwed down against the face of the breechblock for frictionally locking the hammer 4, as a safety measure in place of the set screw 20.

We claim:

An alarm devicefor ,a building or the like comprising in combination, a base, a shell-receiving barrel slidably and detachably secured to the base adjacent the forward .end thereof, a breechblock rigidly secured to the base rearwardly of the barrel and having a longitudinal bore therethrough aligned with the shell-reeeiving barrel, a bracket rigidly Secured to the base adjacent the rear end thereof and having a pocket aligned with the breechblock bore, a tubular hammer slidably mounted in the breechblock bore, said hammer having a front firing pin and a trigger notch adjacent its lower rear portion, a switch button secured to the base below the hammer intermediate the barrel and breechblock and connecting a source of electrical energy with :alarm signals, a bowed leaf spring extending .over and engaging the switch button, a switch pin depending from the front portion of the tubular hammer and. engageable with the bowed leaf spring, whereby upon forward movement of the hammer the switch circuit will be closed, .a .coil spring having one end nested within the rear portion of the tubular hammer and the other end pocketed in the bracket, a trigger block secured to the base below the tubular hammer intermediate the breechblock and the bracket, a trigger pivoted atone end to the block and having the other .end engageable with the hammer notch, a spring urging the trigger against the hammer notch to hold the hammer against its spring pressure, a pulley secured to the trigger block beneath the trigger, a longitudinal central channel in the base extending beneath the barrel and breechblock, a strand secured to the end of the trigger opposite the pivot, said strand extending around the pulley through the channel and about a building, whereby upon movement of the strand the hammer is released, the shell fired and alarm signals energized, and means including a rod extending across the front portion of the barrel for preventing the wadding from being discharged from the muzzle.

PHILLIP F. FLAGGE'. MELVIN W. GERDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,018,509 Loughead Feb. 27, 1912 1,090,242 Singleton Mar. 17,1914 1,479,184 Keeler Jan. 1, 1924 1,868,923 Semon July 26, 1932 1,995,019 Whetherhult Mar. 19,1935 

